Sometimes it is too hot to cook; other times, you want a quick treat that you can make in just minutes. Whatever your reason, you will love the simplicity of this delicious dairy-free, Gluten Free Vanilla Mug Cake. You can have a cake in under 3 minutes from start to finish!!
If you haven’t had a gluten free mug cake yet, you are in for a special treat!! But, I am going to be a bit honest, mug cakes are not that “pretty” type of cake. There I said it. You can see above…it needed to be said, but know that the flavor of this cake is delicious! this homemade mug cake turns out fluffy and full of vanilla flavor.
A microwave mug cake cooks at high temperature, in a mug, very fast. It bubbles and rises up over the cup as it cooks. (It is solid, not liquid, by the time it rises up, so in most cases, it doesn’t explode cake batter, thank goodness!)
If you love the idea of this gluten free mug cake, you will want to try this Gluten Free Lime Mug Cake recipe too. It is one of our favorite summer desserts.
Reader Rave
This recipe is so easy to make & so delicious! Perfect for when you want something sweet to eat! Thank you so much for the recipe!” Barbara G., Facebook comment
Allergen Information:
This vanilla mug cake is gluten-free, dairy-free, oat-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)
Ingredient Notes:
My DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend works really well in my mug cake recipes.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. One of my readers reported back that she used Namaste GF Flour Blend, and it worked well.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add â…› teaspoon.
- Baking Powder and Salt – Use aluminum-free baking powder.
- Sugar – Use cane sugar.
- Coconut Oil – Other types of oil also work.
- Eggs – Use size large.
- Non-Dairy Milk – I used almond milk, but other types of non-dairy and regular milk also work in this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract – I highly recommend using pure vanilla extract and not imitation vanilla.
I modeled this vanilla cake in a cup recipe after my popular Gluten Free Vanilla Cake recipe. If you have the time to bake, I recommend trying this cake recipe too! If you are looking for more options for mug cakes, try this easy Gluten Free Lemon Mug Cake recipe too!
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients in a small
🔑 Sandi says: You can make a mug cake without mixing the ingredients separately, but I like to mix up the wet and dry ingredients separately to ensure everything is well-mixed.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients to another small bowl and whisk to blend.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Mix well.
Step 4: Add the cake batter to your favorite coffee mug. This is what your mug cake batter will look like. Microwave for 90 seconds. While cooking, the mug cake rises way up and then falls a bit. This is normal because of the high-power cooking in the microwave.
Note the cake may cook up over the edge of the mug and then fall back down a little as it cools. If you are looking for something with chocolate, try this easy gluten free chocolate mug cake.
Step 5: Turn the mug cake upside down on a plate. It is very hot so do this carefully. As I said, mug cakes are pretty ugly. Let the cake cool, then top it with:
- frosting
- ice cream
- whipped cream
- fresh berries and fruit
This gluten free snickerdoodle mug cake is Mr. Fearless Dining’s favorite!
Recipe FAQ:
You can use any type of mug as long as it is microwave-safe!! I have used both glass mugs and ceramic mugs without any trouble.
Cook time of a microwave cake can vary by the depth of the mug you use. The typical amount of time needed is around 90 seconds.
This recipe makes a single serving of gluten free vanilla cake, so it is not common to have any leftovers. If you do, it should keep fresh for about 2 days in the refrigerator.
Reader adaptations:
Lauren made this recipe with King Arthur’s Measure for Measure and oat milk. She topped it with store-bought cream cheese frosting.
More Delicious Gluten Free No-Bake Desserts:
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This helps others know that this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Vanilla Mug Cake
Ingredients
- ¼ cup gluten free flour blend * see note
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- tiny dash salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil melted
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup almond milk
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- Grab another bowl and add the wet ingredients. Mix well.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.
- Pour the gluten free batter into a mug. (The batter should be ½ to the top of the mug. If it is a lot higher, use a larger mug.)
- Microwave your mug cake for 90 seconds. Allow to cool.
Video
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend in this recipe. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- You can use any microwave safe mug for this recipe.
- The mug handle may be very hot when you remove it from the microwave. Make sure to use a pot holder to remove the mug.
- I used almond milk but other dairy-free kinds of milk will work but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I’m allergic to coconut, do you recommend a different oil?
Hi Rosa, you could use a light oil like canola or avocado. Enjoy :-).
Can you use Bisquick GF baking mix?
Honestly, I haven’t tried that mix so I am not sure. If you try it, please come back and let me know how it turns out.
This is so much easier than making a whole cake when you only want a few bites.
Exactly 🙂
This recipe is so easy to make & so delicious! Perfect for when you want something sweet to eat! Thank you so much for the recipe! ?
I am so glad you liked this Barbara 🙂
What a great GF recipe! It really couldn’t be easier!
Thank you so much Christina.
Love being able to enjoy a sweet after-dinner treat without having to make a whole cake in the oven for just me. This mug cake is perfect!
In the Bay Area, many houses don’t have air conditioning so making a cake in the microwave is awesome.
I had never tried a gluten free vanilla mug cake before this, and I wonder why … I will continue to prepare it, it was a real surprise!
Thank you for sharing
Glad you like it Fiorenza 🙂